Decision making by cardiac patients: Implications for risk management

Authors
Citation
Ra. Desilva, Decision making by cardiac patients: Implications for risk management, AM J CARD, 83(4A), 1999, pp. 10B-14B
Citations number
17
Categorie Soggetti
Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems","Cardiovascular & Hematology Research
Journal title
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
ISSN journal
00029149 → ACNP
Volume
83
Issue
4A
Year of publication
1999
Pages
10B - 14B
Database
ISI
SICI code
0002-9149(19990218)83:4A<10B:DMBCPI>2.0.ZU;2-#
Abstract
Social and cultural changes and media scrutiny have fed to increased public awareness of the patient's role in medical care. Decisions are no longer d irected by physicians alone and are affected by several nonmedical factors, in the current environment, physicians must respond actively to how patien ts perceive their care and how they make decisions about themselves to aid in risk management Patients and families with high-risk profiles for litiga tion have been identified, and it is important to be aware of these subsets . Gender differences and patients' hidden histories can affect their decisi on making and relationships with physicians, Mistaken concepts about medica l care, patients' beliefs in alternative medical treatments, and patients' magical beliefs must also be considered in assessing communication with pat ients and their families, and are useful in constructing a risk-management strategy. factors contributing to malpractice suits and a proposed risk-red uction protocol that physicians can fallow to decrease legal risk are also discussed, (C) 1999 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.